NEW British middleweight champion Brad Pauls now has a target on his back after winning the biggest fight of his career in Birmingham last night.
Beating Nathan Heaney – after the pair fought to a split draw in March – also created history for Pauls, who became Cornwall’s first British champion since Len Harvey in 1939.
The upper echelons of the domestic 160lbs scene have big fights locked in and Northampton contender Kieron Conway made his way to the Prizefighter semi-finals in Japan last week. Having boxed for over 20 years, Pauls, (19-1-1, 11 KOs), doesn’t care who he fights next. Not long after stopping Heaney in the 12th round, the 31-year-old spoke to Boxing News.
“I think there’s a lot of options out there,” he said.
“I’m not one to call anyone out. Wherever they want me to fight, I’ll fight and there’s a stacked division so there’s loads of options but this is my moment, this is what I dreamed of, this one’s for Cornwall.”
The new champion was critical of his performance, describing it as “sloppy” in stages, but also paid tribute to the former champion whose reign lasted nine months ago, having won the belt against Denzel Bentley.
“Nathan was very sharp, I think he showed the best of himself but I know eventually I’d catch up to Nathan. I’d put a dent in him similar to last time and he put up a hell of a fight, he never packed it in and I guess the people enjoyed it because it was ebbing and flowing like last time.”
The result the first time around wasn’t satisfactory for either fighter, and Pauls did not want to leave the verdict in the judges’ hands in the return bout.
“Lessons learned from the first time,” he said.
“I was the away fighter again. This time they couldn’t take it away from me. Can’t be robbed if you knock them out can you?”